Psalms 33:19

33:19 by saving their lives from death ¹ 

and sustaining them during times of famine. ² 

Psalms 49:8

49:8 (the ransom price for a human life ³  is too high,

and people go to their final destiny), ⁴ 

Psalms 107:5

107:5 They were hungry and thirsty;

they fainted from exhaustion. ⁵ 

Psalms 72:14

72:14 From harm and violence he will defend them; ⁶ 

he will value their lives. ⁷ 

Psalms 107:18

107:18 They lost their appetite for all food, ⁸ 

and they drew near the gates of death.

Psalms 107:26

107:26 They ⁹  reached up to the sky,

then dropped into the depths.

The sailors’ strength ¹⁰  left them ¹¹  because the danger was so great. ¹² 

[33:19]  ¹ tn Heb “to save from death their live[s].”

[33:19]  ² tn Heb “and to keep them alive in famine.”

[49:8]  ³ tn Heb “their life.” Some emend the text to “his life,” understanding the antecedent of the pronoun as “brother” in v. 7. However, the man and brother of v. 7 are representative of the human race in general, perhaps explaining why a plural pronoun appears in v. 8. Of course, the plural pronoun could refer back to “the rich” mentioned in v. 6. Another option (the one assumed in the translation) is that the suffixed mem is enclitic. In this case the “ransom price for human life” is referred to an abstract, general way.

[49:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “and one ceases forever.” The translation assumes an indefinite subject which in turn is representative of the entire human race (“one,” that refers to human beings without exception). The verb חָדַל (khadal, “cease”) is understood in the sense of “come to an end; fail” (i.e., die). Another option is to translate, “and one ceases/refrains forever.” In this case the idea is that the living, convinced of the reality of human mortality, give up all hope of “buying off” God and refrain from trying to do so.

[107:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “and their soul in them fainted.”

[72:14]  ⁷ tn Or “redeem their lives.” The verb “redeem” casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Pss 19:14; 69:18).

[72:14]  ⁸ tn Heb “their blood will be precious in his eyes.”

[107:18]  ⁹ tn Heb “all food their appetite loathed.”

[107:26]  ¹¹ tn That is, the waves (see v. 25).

[107:26]  ¹² tn Heb “their being”; traditionally “their soul” (referring to that of the sailors). This is sometimes translated “courage” (cf. NIV, NRSV).

[107:26]  ¹³ tn Or “melted.”

[107:26]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “from danger.”